Key holder



July 21, 1931.

,1. P. NIKONOW K'EY HOLDER Filed De. 9, 1930 INVENTOR bulky Patented July 21, 1931 PATENT OFFICE JOHN P. NIKONOW, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

KEY HOLDER Application filed December 9, 1930. Serial No. 501,042.

My invention relates to key holders and has a particular reference to rings or devices for holding several keys or similar articles, to be conveniently carried in ones pocket.

5 The object of my invention is to provide a holder in which the keys are held in an alignment inside of the holder in their inoperative position, the provision being also made to turn any of the keys into an operative position and to hold it in such a position thereby facilitating the operation of this key.

Keys when assembled on an ordinary ring, dangle in all directions and represent a and inconvenient package which bulges out in the pocket and tears its lining. With my holder the keys are held in a fiat package within the outlines of the holder and can be conveniently carried in a pocket without forming any excessive bulge.

For this purpose I provldea holder or ring of a substantially rectangular shape. The ends of the holder can be resiliently separated for inserting the keys. One side of the holder represents two parallel bars or rods in the plane of the holder. These rods retain the keys in the plane of the holder, the keys being provided with corresponding elongated holes. The rods can-be resiliently drawn together for the purpose of turning the keys around between their operative and inoperative positions.

My invention is more fully described in the accompanying specification and drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front View of my holder with keys, Fig. 2 is a view of a specially shaped key required for this holder, Fig. 3 is a sectional view of my holder, Fig. 4 is a front view showing the bars drawn together for turning the key, Fig. 5 is a View of a modified device, Fig. 6 is a sectional end View of same, Fig. 7 is a view of same in a metal case with the cover removed, and Fig. 8 is a sectional view of same.

My device represents a rectangular holder formed of a resilient wire 1 which is bent on itself so as to form two closed contours or loops. These loops are connected at their ends by smaller loops 2, the two ends of thewire being joined together by a sleeve 3. The inner loop 4: is shorter than the outer loop 5 so that their front sides, opposite the small loops 2, are separated. Two other sides of the loops are formed close together and are enclosed in metal tubes 6 in which they can slide in relation of each other. The tubes 6 have front extensions 7 which are rounded off at the ends so as to retain the edges of the outer loop 5 and to form projections for retaining the keys assembled on the front sides or bars. The rear ends of the tubes are also bent forming hooks 8 for retaining the rear corners of the outer loop. The latter is therefore fixed in the tubes so that the relative position of this loop and the tubes can not change. The inner loop 4%, however, can slide in the tubes until its front bar comes in contact with the front bar of the outer tube (Fig. 4), the wire being bent at the small loops 2. The resiliency of the wire will cause its return to the original position when the pressure on the front bars is released.

The keys 9 are provided with elongated slots 10 with a sufficient width in the middle to fit over the tubes 6 and narrower at the ends to fit over the bars or wire 1.

The key is inserted by passing its slot'over the small loop 2 (the outside diameter of which is smaller than the length of the slot 10), then over the tube 6 and over the front bars drawing them together. For turning the key from its inoperative position inside of the holder into an operative position when it extends outside, the bars are drawn together permitting the key to be rotated over the two bars.

The turning leverage for the keys is provided by the front bars, so that the keys may be'made of a narrow width as shown in Fig. 2 and can be stamped out from a narrow strip of metal. Various tools and imple ments can be mounted on the holder bars together with the keys, for instance, nail files, knives, cork screws, etc.

A modified construction is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this case there are two separate loops, 11 and 12, placed with their sides in tubes 6. The outer loop 12 is held between the hooks 7 and 8, and the inner loop 11 can slide in the tubes between the extreme operative (the bars set apart) and inoperative (the bars drawn together) positions. The ends of the loops can be resiliently separated for inserting the keys.

The front bars of the loops are kept apart or in their operative position by a locking bar or lever 13 rotatively mounted on the inner loop 11. Its end has a depression l t to fit the outer loop 12 which has a bend the corner into which the end 1 1 can be forced under a certain tension thereby serving to keep the two bars apart in their operative position. By depressing the rear end 15 of the bar the latter can be forced out of engagement with the outer loop so that the two loops can be brought together.

. My device can be placed in any convenient cover or folder of a flexible (from leather, for instance) or ri 'id type. A rigid metal case is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. It consists of two cup-shaped halves l6 and 17 joined with a hinge 18 from which also extend hooks or loops l9 replacing one of the tubes 6. The other ends of the case can. be held together by any suitable clasp The open position of the case is shown with dotted lines in Fig. 8.

Important advantages of my holder are that it is strong and simple in its construction, can be given a neat and compact form for carrying in ones pocket, and together with the keys forms a flat package, the keys being firmly held in the plane of the holder, permitting also the use of any suitable flexible or rigid enclosure.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a key holder, the combination with two substantially rectangular members adapted to slide in relation to each other in their common plane, said members being open at their rear ends to permit the assembling of keys on their front bars, said keys being provided with elongated holes for said bars, means to keep said front bars sepa rated fitting in the ends of said holes and sroporting said keys in the plane of said members, said front bars being adapted to be brought together for turning said keys between their operative and inoperative positions.

2. In a key holder, the combination with a wire formin two closed loops in a common plane adapted to slide in relation to each other, said loops formin an opening at their rear ends to permit the assembling of keys with elongated apertures, means to keep the front bars of said loops separated so as to it the ends of said elongated holes, and means to support the side bars of said loops in a sliding relation to each other, said front bars being adapted to be brought together for turning said keys between their operative and inoperative positions.

3. In a key holder, the combination with two loops adapted to slide in relation to each other in a common plane, said loops being open at their rear ends to permit the assembling of keys with elongated holes, a releasable means to keep the front bars of said loop at a distance apart so as to fit them in the ends of said elongated holes, and tubular members adapted to slidably hold together the sides of said loops, the front bars of said loops being adapted to be brought together for turning said keys between their operative and inoperative positions.

4. In a key holder, the combination with a wire forming two loops adapted to slide in relation to each other, said loops being open at their rear ends to permit the mounting of keys with elongated holes, resilient connections between the ends of said loops adapted to keep the front bars of said loops separated so as to keep said bars in the enos of said elongated holes thereby keeping said keys in the plane of said loops, said front bars being adapted to be brought together for turning said keys between their operative and inoperative positions, and means to retain the sides of said loops in a mutual sliding engagement.

5. In a key holder, the combination with two loops adapted to slide in relation to each other in a common plane, said loops being open at their ends so as to permit the mounting of keys with elongated holes, means to keep the front bars of said loops apart fitting them in the ends of said elongated holes, thereby keeping said keys in their operative or inoperative positions in the plane of said loops, said front bars being adapted to be brought together for turning said keys between their operative and inoperative positions, and a casing hingedly connected with one side of said loops.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature.

JOHN P. NIKONOIV. 

